Mobile Science Laboratory (MSL), which was founded by a group of teachers from the city, carries the needed equipment including chemicals and about 350 experiments in a van and drives around teaching science to children. Their motto is to help young science learners in understanding concepts with a playful method, develop scientific thinking, promote science education and spread awareness about the latest discoveries of India. In a span of five years MSL has reached 18 Government schools in Telangana across Urdu, Telugu and English media benefiting 4,651 students of Class VIII, IX and X. They also travelled to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Harayan, Delhi, West Bengal, Orissa, Kerala and covered around 200 schools.
What started with one man, MA Lateef Atear is now 15 teachers strong. It began through an NGO ‘Sahatya Trust’ that was supported by Tech Mahindra Foundation and later developed into MSL.
“As the government schools lack equipments and teachers, we believe the students dislike science,” shares Lateef. “The reason for opting these schools is, they are the students who are full of zeal to learn but because of unavailability of resources they are held behind,” he adds.
“With the world dragging the entire generation towards software, there are not many students now who plan to pursue a career in field of science. So, we started to spread awareness among the young minds by speaking about the achievements and its impact. We are trying to develop and create interest,” he says.
The fast phased teaching methodologies that most of the schools adopt are targeted towards marks rather than knowledge. “Science” is a subject which has to be taught in practical methodology and not only theoretically.
“Around five months back the NGO has started an academy in Narayanguda, which is always open to the students and teachers that has loads of material and the needed equipment.
We have programmes divided in three different categories, one is for the ‘Budding Scientists’ which includes students of class VIII, IX and X; one for the students of class XI and XII and the last one is ‘Do Learn and Teach’, which is especially for teachers,” informs Lateef.
“We are trying to develop and deepen the concepts in science with real time examples. These learning methods also help in critical and quantitative thinking in a student,” he says.
“The appreciation we hear from parents and society for our efforts, the spark of happiness and enthusiasm which we observe in the eyes of students makes us even more passionate towards teaching. I feel this is the best way of giving back something to the society and our mother land” concludes Lateef.
Article Source: The Hans India (by Bhagyashree Kottoori)